Various products have heretofore been constructed with the purpose of dispensing materials from a collapsible container. Such products include collapsible tubes such as toothpaste tubes which contain toothpaste which is adapted to be squeezed out of the collapsible tube by hand to be discharged onto a toothbrush.
Various disadvantages have been observed with regard to manually squeezing toothpaste from a collapsible tube in that the tube sometimes becomes badly twisted so as to make it difficult to squeeze the maximum amount of toothpaste out of said collapsible tube. Furthermore, the tube sometimes becomes cracked and the toothpaste oozes out of the collapsible tube. Furthermore, some individuals find the overall appearance of such manually squeezed collapsible tube as aesthetically unappealing.
Accordingly, various devices have heretofore been constructed in order to overcome some of the difficulties referred to above.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,104 discloses apparatus for dispensing paste from a collapsible tube whereby the apparatus comprises a case having an electric motor enclosed therein which when activated moves a pair of rollers downwardly on both sides of the tube and thereby force paste therefrom.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,902 shows the use of two racks with a single tooth roller for dispensing paste from a collapsible tube.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 1,352,425 illustrates the use of a pair of rack and pinion gears in a dispensing apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,492,534 illustrates a toothpaste holder utilizing a roller having a pair of spaced projections adapted to engage with the plurality of spaced apertures.
Dispensing devices for collapsible tubes are also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,924,195 which particularly shows the use of a pair of rack and pinion gears.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,168,080 illustrates a collapsible tube dispenser utilizing a pair of rack and pinion gears.
Each of the various devices referred to above illustrate a relatively complicated device which is difficult to construct and assemble.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved dispensing apparatus for dispensing materials from a collapsible container which is simpler to construct and having improved utility.
The broadest aspect of this invention relates to a device for dispensing material from a collapsible container comprising: a housing having a dispensing aperture; structure for retaining said container within said housing; rack and pinion structure disposed within said housing wherein said pinion is displaceable relative said rack so as to squeeze said container and force said material from said container through said dispensing aperture of said housing; a displaceable electric motor associated with said pinion for displacing said pinion with said electric motor relative said rack so as to squeeze said container and force said material from said container through said dispensing aperture of said housing, when said electric motor is activated; and a switch for activating said electric motor.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide a device for dispensing toothpaste from a collapsible tube comprising: a housing having a dispensing aperture and a slidable cover adapted to open and close entry into said housing; structure for retaining said tube within said housing; spaced first and second racks fixedly secured interiorally of said housing; a shaft extending between said first and second rack; first and second gears coaxially fixedly secured to said shaft and engagable with said first and second racks respectively for displacement along said racks; a roller gear coaxially secured to said shaft between said first and second gear for squeezing said tube and forcing said toothpaste from said tube through said dispensing aperture; a displaceable electric motor fixedly secured to one end of said shaft for rotating said shaft and said first and second gear when said electric motor is energized so as to displace s id first and second gear relative said first and second rack respectively and displace said roller gear relative said tube and force said toothpaste from said tube through said dispensing aperture, said electric motor displaceable with said first and second gear; and a switch for activating said electric motor.